Toy airplane



S. C. GRADY TOY AIRPLANE Nov. 30, 1937.

Filed May 25, 1937 Patented Nov. 30, 1937 stars Ars'r omce The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in toy airplanes and more particularly to improved driving means therefor.

An object of the present invention is to pro-' vide a toy airplane having a plurality of propelling units, one or more of which may be successfully brought into operation upon the expenditure of power in another so as to prolong the flight of the toy airplane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy airplane of the above type wherein the de-.

tails of construction and arrangement of parts make it possible to afford a light and inexpensive construction.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obviousand will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a top plan View showing a portion of the toy airplane with the driving means therefor.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view show-' ing the details of the bracket which restrains movement of one or more of the propelling units.

In general, the invention contemplates the provision of three or more propellers having independent shafts which are connected to independent spring driving means. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, two of the propellers are restrained against movement while the third propeller is in operation. For this purpose, there is employed a bracket which is shiftable relative to the airplane frame and against which the inoperative propellers engage asa stop during the operation of the third propeller. Upon the running down of the spring motor for the third propeller, the bracket is adapted to shift 0 so that it will no longer prevent rotation of the two inoperative propellers, thus permitting the two other propellers to be driven by their respective spring motors. In this way, the flight of the airplane is substantially prolonged.- 45 In the accompanying drawing, a toy airplane is illustrated as including a body frame or fuselage 10 having at the forward end thereof three outstanding portions ll, I2, l3. The central propeller i4 is connected to a shaft I5 which is 50 provided with a hooked end IS. The hooked end [6 of the shaft I5 is connected to a spring motor H which is secured to a hook l8 mounted on a bracket 19 at the rear of the body frame It]. The shaft I5 is rotatably mounted on the central 55 upstanding portion |2 by means of cleats or staples 20. A bracket 2| is provided centrally of the ends thereof with looped portions .2la through which the shaft I5 extends. The ends of the bracket 2| and the side portions 2 lb thereof extend beyond the central upstanding por- 5 tion IE on the body frame i0 so that the bracket is free to rotate relative to theshaft |5. A'pair of spherical washers 22 are mounted on the shaft |5 between the propeller M and the forwardend 7 of the bracket 2| so as to maintain the propeller 10 M at a predetermined distance away from the bracket.

Mounted on the side upstanding portions ll, |3 for rotation are shafts 23, 24 which carry propellers 25 and 26 respectively. 1

The shafts 23, 24 are provided with hooked ends for engagement'with independent spring motors (not shown) of the same type described in connection with the shaft l5. A pair of wire stops 21, 21a extend forwardly from the central 2o upstanding portion l2 on the body frame Ill. The wire stop 21 is disposed below the front end of the bracket 2l when in a horizontal position, and the wire stop 21a is disposed above the front end of thebracket 2|, as indicated in 5 Fig. 3. A coil spring 28 encircles the shaft 15 and bears against thelooped portion 2|a of the bracket 2| at the forwardend thereof and against 1 the front staple 20. The spring 28 tends to normally urge the bracket 2| and shaft l5 in a for- 30 ward direction as the spring motor I1 becomes unwound. A resilient connection is provided between one of the side portions 2 II) of the bracket 2| and a pin 29 on the body frame N). This resilient connection may be in the form of a rub- 5 I ber band 35 which tends to maintain the bracket 2|fin a substantially vertical position. In other words, as shown in:Fig.3, the rubber band 30 is stretched.

The wire stops 2!, 21a, extend beyond the front end of the bracket 2| when the spring motor I1 is wound up so as to preventflr'otation of the bracket 2| relative to the shaft l5. Thus, the propellers 25 and 26 are also restrained against movement] When the central propeller I4 is released, the unwinding of the spring motor I! will relieve the tension betweenthe hooks l6 and I8 so that the coil spring 28 will operate to urge the bracket 2| in a forward direction with the shaft l5 and the propeller l4. .As. the spring motor IT runs down, the front end of the bracket2| will be forced beyond the stop wires 21, 21a so that bracket 2| will no longer serve as a stop for preventing rotation of the side propellers 25 and 26.

Thus, the stored energy in the spring motors (not shown) for the propellers and 26 will now cause rotation thereof. The bracket 2| will be caused to turn on the'shaft l5 so that the side propellers are free to operate and prolong the flight of the airplane. The spring member 30 serves to prevent oscillation of the bracket 2| when it has been turned so that it will not interfere with the free rotation of the side propellers.

It is to be clearly understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: j

1. In a toy airplane, the combination of a plurality of propelling units, an independentspring motor for each of said propelling units, and means engageable with one of said propelling units for preventing rotation thereof until the substantial expenditure of power in a motor for another of said propelling units.

2. In a toy airplane, thecombination of a plurality of propelling units, an independent spring motor for each of said propelling units, a bracket member engageable with at least one of said propelling units for preventing rotation thereof, andmeans for mounting said bracket member and for permitting themovement thereof out of engagement with the propelling unit upon the substantial expenditure of power in a motor for another of said propelling units.

3. In a toy airplane, the combination of a plurality of propelling units, an independent spring motor for each of said propelling units, at least one of said motors being extensible upon the expenditure of the stored power therein, and means associated with said extensible motor for engaging another of said propelling units for preventing rotation thereof, said means being shiftable to disengage the propelling unit upon the substantial expenditure of power in: said extensible motor. V i 4. In a toy airplane, the combination of a plul rality of propelling units, an independent spring motor for each of said propelling units, at least one of said motors being extensible from the expenditure of the stored power therein, a bracket shiftable with said extensible motor and engage: able with another of said propelling. units,- and stop means for holding said bracket in engagement with the propelling unit to prevent rotation thereof, the engagement between said stop means and said bracket being such as to release said bracket from engagement with the propelling unit upon the substantial expenditure of power in said extensible motor.

5. In a toy airplane, the combination of acentral axially shiftable shaft carrying a propelling unit, a spring motor connected to said shaft and extensible upon the expenditure of the stored power therein, a pair of side propelling units, an independent motor'for each of said side propelling units, a bracket engageable With the side propelling units, means for. mounting. said bracket for rotation and for endwise movement with said central shaft, and stop means for holding said bracket in engagement with said side propelling units to prevent rotation thereof, said stop means permitting the rotation of said bracket upon the axial shifting thereof incident power therein, a pair of side propelling units, an

independent motor for each of said side propelling units, a bracket engageable with the side propelling units, means for mounting said bracket for rotation and for endwise movement with said central shaft, stop means for holding said bracket in engagement'with said side pro- 'pelling units to prevent rotation thereof, said stop means permitting the rotation of said bracket upon the axial shifting thereof incident to the expenditure of power in said extensible motorto release said side propelling units, and resilient means operable when said bracket is released from said stop means for preventing oscillation of said bracket whereby to prevent its interference with the side propelling units.

'7. In a toy airplane, the combination of a central axially shiftable shaft carrying a propelling unit, a spring motor connected to said shaft and extensible upon the expenditure of the stored power therein, a pair of side propelling units, an independent motor for each of said side propelling units, a bracket engageable with said side propelling units, means for mounting said bracket on said central shaft for relative rotation with v respect thereto, a spacing device on said central shaft between the propelling unit thereon and 8. In a toy airplane, the combination of a central axially'shiftable shaft carrying a propelling unit, a spring-motor connected to said shaft and extensible upon'the expenditure of the stored power therein, a pair of side propelling units, an independent motor for each of said side propelling units, a bracket engageable with said side propelling units, means for mounting said bracket on said central shaft for relative rotation with respect thereto, a spacing device on said central shaft between the propelling unit thereon and said bracket for causing endwise movement with said shaft when said extensible motor is wound up, stop means for holding said bracket in engagement with said side propelling units to prevent rotation thereof, and a coil spring operative toefiect endwise movement of said bracket with said central shaft when the stored power in said extensible motor is substantially expended, the engagement between said stop means and said bracket being such as to release said bracket from engagement with said side propelling units upon the substantial expenditure of power in said extensible spring motor.

' SYLVESTER CLARK GRADY. 

